Topline
The Russian warship Moskva sank in the Black Sea, Russian state-owned news outlet RIA Novosti said Thursday, two days after Ukrainian forces claimed to have launched a missile attack against the cruiser, which gained notoriety after it was involved in a confrontation with defiant Ukrainian border guards in February.
The Moskva, a flagship of Russian Black Sea Fleet, enters Sevastopol Bay on September 10, 2008.
Key Facts
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the Moskva sank amid a “stormy sea” while being towed to port, RIA reported.
Dueling accounts have emerged over whether the ship perished due to a fire or a Ukrainian attack: RIA claimed the Moskva’s hull was damaged by a fire that caused ammunition to explode, though the governor of Ukraine’s Odessa region said Tuesday the warship had been struck by two Ukrainian-manufactured Neptune cruise missiles.
News that the ship sank came just hours after Russian state-affiliated media reported a fire aboard the Moskva had been put out and the vessel was still afloat.
Key Background
Originally christened the Slava when it entered service in the early 1980s, the Moskva is 610 feet long, weighs 12,000 tons and has a crew of 510. The flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, the Moskva is well-known for its involvement in the February 24 Snake Island incident, in which a defiant garrison of 13 Ukrainian State Border Guards refused to surrender, allegedly remarking over the radio, “Russian warship, go f*** yourself.” The guards were initially presumed killed by bombardment from the Moskva. However, Russian forces claimed the border guards surrendered, and just days after the incident, the Ukrainian navy said the guards were alive and in Russian custody. Some of the guards were subsequently returned to Ukraine in a prisoner exchange.
Surprising Fact
The Moskva was immortalized by the Ukrainian postal service last month with a stamp depicting the Snake Island incident. The stamp’s illustration, which depicts a Ukrainian soldier making a provocative gesture at the Moskva, was chosen in a national competition.
Further Reading
“Russian Warship Mystery: Fire Onboard Moskva Reportedly Out—But Cause Still A Mystery” (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharysmith/2022/04/14/russian-warship-moskva-sinks-off-ukraine-state-media-reports/